


Forever Yours

by MashiarasDream



Series: Yours!verse [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Alpha!Balthazar, Alpha!Sam, I have no idea why, M/M, Mentions of sex work, Omega!Gabriel, SO MUCH FLUFF, a/b/o dynamics, alpha!cas, also Bariel happened again, but really it’s all fluff, even though I had to break the characters a tiny little bit, for the sake of something resembling plot, honestly they always just happen, mentions of past sexual abuse, omega!dean, rainbow puking fluff, timestamp for Yours
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-03
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-28 19:52:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3867733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MashiarasDream/pseuds/MashiarasDream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The day of the town hall meeting has finally come and with it the day when Dean and Sam are officially becoming pack members – and Cas and Dean tie the knot. A lot has happened in the four short weeks leading up to this event.</p><p>(We’re jumping backward and forward in time in this story. It might come over as a bit jarring in the beginning but I swear it makes sense. We’re pretty much following Dean’s thoughts with our time jumps to gather everything that’s happened.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever Yours

**Author's Note:**

> So I didn’t originally want to write timestamps for ‘Yours’. Because ‘Yours’ ended so sweetly and no one was really fucked up and I’m way hesitant to break these characters for the sake of more story. They’re my fluffy fairytale after all. In consequence, what I wrote in the end (because I couldn’t resist anyway) is not as intense as the first part. Because I couldn’t get myself to introduce actual conflict. So it’s just like a fluffy cupcake with mini-angsty parts and mostly everyone is fine and every issue gets resolved and there are no real assholes showing up (though a few are mentioned). I know, it’s completely not like me to write so little angst. I’m sorry, okay? I have a fluff phase. 
> 
> PS: The apology goes to everyone apart from one fluffflufffluffy person who insists on me writing more fluff at every opportunity. You know who you are.  
> PPS: There will most likely be more fluffy additions to this series in the future.

_Now… [The day of the town hall meeting / pack membership / becoming mates]_

Dean is pacing. Up and down the cramped space of their living room. They’re not taking the furniture with them but their bags are packed and there isn’t even enough space to pace. But he’s nervous and he can tell himself as often as he wants that he doesn’t need to be nervous, it doesn’t change a damn thing.

Sam gives him a look when he crosses the living room to get his last few bags from his room. “You alright?”

Dean nods. “What about you? You really okay with this?”

“Yes, Dean.” Sam draws it out in the annoyed tone of a teenager who thinks everyone but them is ridiculous. “We’ve been over this.”

They have, more than once, but still. “Just want to make sure you’re ready. We can wait.”

Sam rolls his eyes and disappears in the hallway.

And alright, maybe it’s not so much Sam, maybe it’s mostly Dean. Because the pack had a month to get used to this, but Ellen’s been close-mouthed about the reactions she’s gotten. Whether there has been any opposition to him or Sam.

He bites his lips. He doesn’t think Cas would do something shitty like approving one of them and not the other. But if the opposition was too much, he might not approve either of them. But he would have said, right?

 

\--

_4 weeks earlier…_

It’s weird, that first day back at home. They’ve been gone for less than 72 hours and yet their little house feels foreign. Like a place that was once home but isn’t anymore. It’s easy to see why, of course. It smells like them and like Sam’s school books and Dean’s greasy clothes from the garage. But no whiff of Cas apart from the scent that’s still clinging to Dean. He has Cas’ cell phone number and he contemplates sending him a text to tell him but then doesn’t have the guts. Instead, he doesn’t shower before bed and he uses the shirt he’s worn at Cas’ house as a pillow.

The garage the next day isn’t any better. As expected, it takes Bobby about two seconds to sniff it out. And yeah, maybe Dean hasn’t been exactly keen on showering off all of Cas’ scent in the first place. But now he isn’t sure he can handle any comment from Bobby, so Dean flees to the jeep whose repair he’d left unfinished.

But it’s hard to avoid your boss for an extended period of time. So after he’s done with the transmission of the jeep, he washes up and goes over to Bobby’s cluttered office to ask him which car has priority next. Only, when Bobby turns around to face him, he doesn’t get the words out. So he just tries not to shrink in on himself while Bobby stares him down with narrowed eyes.

“So, boy, do I need to start a war or are you good?”

Dean’s eyebrows rise to his hairline, because that’s not the reaction he’s expected. But he shakes himself out of it and pulls down the collar of his flannel to show his collarbone.

Bobby studies the mark for a moment before nodding. “So you’re good then. I’m glad. There’s a Corolla needs an oil change. Owner wants the car back before noon.”

And that’s that.

Until the night that is. Because Dean is just finishing up the last car of the day, when suddenly there is the smell of excitement in the air. Now Garth gets excited over everything, so that isn’t unusual, but this seems to be excitement by the customers and even by Bobby. He wipes his hands on an old towel and walks to the front to see what this is all about.

He stops short when his eyes fall on the small crowd of people gathered around an immaculately dressed Cas. They are all talking to him and Cas is listening and nodding, seeming not even half as out of place as he should be, but the minute he looks up and sees Dean, his smile turns wide and the small crowd around him obviously notices the change because it falls silent.

“Excuse me.” A few quick steps and he has left them behind and comes over to Dean.

Dean ducks his head, still shy, but he can’t help the goofy smile spreading on his face.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Hey, Cas.”

“I was wondering whether you would like to have dinner with me.”

“I, uhh, I promised Sam to make burgers. But you could come?”

“I’d love to.”

Cas takes his hand, not even caring about the grease and oil, and Dean thinks Ellen won’t have to post an announcement after all, because this is a small town and rumors spread fast.

 

\--

_Now…_

“Dean? You’re spacing.” Sam nudges him.

“Just thinking,” Dean shrugs because really four weeks seems like a long time, but at the same time it feels like things have happened so fast that he’s still out of breath.

Because they’re becoming pack members and he’s becoming Cas’ mate and they’re giving up their place to move into the pack-Alpha’s house and all of that happens today.

 

\--

_4 weeks earlier…_

The way home from the garage is through the town center. Dean’s walking it every day because he can’t justify before himself to waste gas on this short a trip. Usually, he walks at a quick pace and no one he doesn’t know gives him a second glance.

Today, eyes follow them every step of the way.

It’s a situation that Dean would try to get out of if he was alone. Eyes following you isn’t good and he feels an uncomfortable prickle at the back of his head. But Cas’ hand is relaxed around his and if anything, he’s walking slower not faster. He isn’t ashamed to be seen with Dean. In the opposite, Dean thinks, he’s planned this. Or at least uses it for the express purpose of giving everyone a chance to gape and spread rumors.

It does something weird to Dean. It makes him straighten up and stand tall. Which makes it more noticeable that he is indeed a few inches taller than Cas, but Cas doesn’t seem to mind because he leans closer and tells him, “You’re gorgeous.”

Dean blushes to the roots of his hair because he’s awful at accepting compliments, but he doesn’t hide.

When they’re getting home, Sam is sprawled on the couch, still out of school for another few days to heal up completely.

“Please come in,” Dean invites Cas inside. “Sam? We’ve got a visitor.”

But Sam is already up on his feet, though he stays on the far side of the room, unsure what to do.

“Relax,” Cas says. “Your home, your rules.”

Dean chuckles at that because yeah, you can’t go around ordering people to relax and then pretend you’re not in charge. But when Cas turns his gaze to him with a questioning look, Dean just says, “You two good on your own for a few minutes? Sam can show you the house. It isn’t that big. I need a shower.”

Something lights in Cas’ eyes at the mention of shower and his scent turns spicier while he is eyeing Dean. But he just nods. “We’ll wait.”

Dean bites down hard on his lower lip and trots off towards the bathroom. He firmly locks the door behind him and takes a few moments to calm his racing heart down while keeping his mind intentionally blank and not thinking about the reasons for the sudden panic.

As soon as the wave of _careful, danger_ subsides, he hurries with his shower because he isn’t really sure about leaving Cas and Sam alone for too along. And also maybe because even locked the bathroom doesn’t feel completely safe.

He needn’t have worried about Sam and Cas, though. They have moved to the kitchen table, a stack of brochures and pamphlets in front of them and they’re going through them one by one.

Dean doesn’t need to look twice to know what they are for. The colleges Sam wants to apply to.

Dean takes the ingredients for the burgers out of the fridge and starts preparing their food.

“The pre-law program is much better in Stanford, though.”

“I know,” Sam answers with a sigh. “But it’s hard to get a full ride. And I need one.”

“No, you don’t,” Cas shakes his head.

“I do,” Sam insists. “No one’s going to give me a loan.”

“You’ve got a pack now, Sam. Every bank is going to give you a loan if we vouch for you. Or you can go directly through the pack’s bank.”

There’s a moment of stunned silence.

Cas sighs. “You don’t remember much of the perks of pack life, do you?”

“I was 8 when we got kicked out,” Sam says quietly. “And once I presented it was clear we wouldn’t get into a new pack.” He shrugs. “Don’t know what I would have done without Dean.”

“Oh stop it, Sammy,” Dean says. He’s not even pretending to make burgers anymore.

“No, I mean it, Dean. I’d have ended up lone wolf or something. No one was going to take me in.”

Dean shakes his head unwillingly. “Yeah, and without you to keep me fighting, I’d…” But he doesn’t want to say it. Not with Cas here. Everyone knows where Omegas who don’t have anything to lose end up. So he just shakes his head to get rid of the unwelcome thoughts. “Your pack’s always been good to us, Cas.” Dean sees it now, that it is an extension of Cas’ leadership. That even when Sam and Dean didn’t know him, they were protected by him.

 

\--

_Now…_

“Dean?”

“Huh?”

“I was asking you what you were thinking about?”

“Pack life.” He doesn’t think it needs more explanation than this.

“You’re worried that something will go wrong,” Sam deducts.

Dean nods. Of course he is. He doesn’t think he has ever wanted anything so hard in his life as he wants this. How can he not be worried about it falling apart?

 

\--

_4 weeks earlier…_

Sam decides to get out of their way after dinner, claiming tiredness from being sick, and shutting the door of his room behind himself firmly.

Cas tries to help with the dishes but Dean shoos him off. No guest in his house does dishes, the pack-Alpha thing doesn’t even come into play here.

Cas seems content enough, leaning against the counter and watching Dean work. Or possibly watching the muscles under his shirt ripple with his movements. But it’s only a second before Dean’s smirk falters, because there’s chili mixed in with the melted chocolate scent and it’s even spicier than before and Dean has a pretty good idea about what that means. It ain’t Cas’ fault that Dean’s stomach drops but it still does.

It doesn’t take all that long to do the dishes, so finally Dean dries his hands, turns back to Cas and looks at him questioningly. Cas asked to have dinner together, and they did. Uncharted territory from here on out, and the nervous lump in his gut is still there.

“Want to show me the house after all?” Cas asks. “Sam and I never really got further than the stack of college brochures in his room.”

“There’s not that much more to see. I mean, there’s my room…” He leaves the sentence hanging, unsure.

“We could start there,” Cas says with a smile.

Dean touches his hand to the mark at the collarbone. So many spices are mixed in with the other scents and he’s spent a life-time avoiding being alone with Alphas. His instinct tells him to keep it that way, even while his heart says _mate_ , _mate_ is different.

“Dean?”

The few times Dean had gotten trapped with an Alpha alone somewhere in a room with a lock, not good. They always just took what they wanted. And it always hurt. Dean doesn’t think Cas would hurt him intentionally. And Cas does have pretty good self-control. He sucked a bruise when he wanted to bite and break skin. So maybe that translates to other things. Maybe he won’t use his full strength and it won’t hurt too badly. If this is indeed what Cas wants. Maybe he really just wants to see the house. But chili. But Cas. Cas is mate. Or will be. And Cas is nice and he smells like honey even when there’s spices, too, and he’s careful. And he asked.

Dean doesn’t quite manage to meet Cas’ eyes but he nods. “Come on, then.”

His room isn’t actually big. It’s got a bed and a nightstand and a closet. There’s a shelf with a few books and assorted trinkets. That’s pretty much it.

“Not much to look at,” he shrugs and hovers near the door even while Cas walks past him into the room.

Cas looks around but his gaze is almost immediately drawn to the shirt over Dean’s pillow. The shirt that he’d worn at Cas’ house. Cas picks it up, sniffing at it.

Dean blushes because it’s pretty obvious why it’s draped over his pillow.

But Cas just smiles. “It smells good, our scents together.”

Dean nods because he agrees with that, and comes a few steps closer, though he still stays in the direct line of the door.

“You’re wary,” Cas states matter-of-factly while putting the shirt back and sitting down on the bed.

Dean shrugs because, yeah, he is but it isn’t Cas’ fault.

Cas looks at him with a frown. “No, Dean, that’s not enough. I can smell that you’re wary and I can see that you’re putting more distance between us than you have since you asked me about scenting. And you’re keeping an escape route open for yourself. So I know something is wrong. But I can’t see or smell what’s going on in your head. You’ll have to tell me.”

That makes sense to him, of course it does, but at the same time, it feels wrong not to trust Cas and it feels even more wrong to tell him about this. It isn’t all that uncommon, the stuff that happened to him. Statistics say, it’s what, 1 in 5 Omegas? And Dean’s never had pack protection. But what if Cas expected something different of him? What if he expected him to be alert enough to always keep himself safe? What if he expects him to be untouched? He probably expects him to be enthusiastic, too. He’d been enthusiastic enough about touching Cas before.

But now he eyes the bed warily. It really is the only seating in the room. But sitting down there, next to Cas, is like an open invitation. And yeah, he isn’t sure about that.

He sighs heavily because everything in his head is muddled. Because he knows he’d also be disappointed if Cas just got up and left to go back home. And he likes it that Cas’ smell will cling to his bed and his room now. He likes that Cas is here. He wants to be close to him and give him everything he deserves. Because Cas is a good guy.

That thought makes it through. No matter what else his brain is telling him, there is _good safe mate love_ and he wants that. So if he can’t give Cas everything right this second, at least he can give him something.

He closes the last few steps between them and folds himself to the ground next to Cas’ knee. He looks up at Cas to make sure it’s okay before wrapping his arms around Cas’ leg and leaning his head against him.

Cas’ scent envelopes him immediately and it isn’t as comforting as usual because there is so much confusion in it, whatever had been left of the spices and the chocolate being washed out by rain. But the honey scent stays strong and Cas’ hand comes up into Dean’s hair and starts stroking. And Dean was right, this was a good idea, because the storm in his mind finally calms down and after a minute or two, Dean starts to slump, the tight set of his shoulders unwinding.

“Your knees are going to start hurting in no time, kneeling on the floor like this,” Cas says quietly.

“It’s fine,” Dean mumbles and closes his eyes to enjoy the feeling of Cas’ fingers raking through his hair.

“Tell me what’s wrong, Dean,” Cas asks softly.

“Got scared. Sorry,” Dean mumbles without opening his eyes.

The hand in his hair moves even slower and gentler while Cas is thinking about that. “But you weren’t scared of me. Not really. I would have smelled that. I think, anyway. Did I do something?”

Dean thinks about it for a moment. Cas really didn’t. He reacted but he didn’t do anything. It’s hard to put into words, though. “Wanted me. Isn’t wrong of you. Just scared me.”

Cas’ grip in his hair tightens when he gets what Dean is saying. A low growl emanates from his throat. It isn’t directed at Dean. He doesn’t think so anyway. “You got forced before.”

Dean pats his hands along Cas’ leg. It’s somewhere between self-preservation because angry Alpha is never good, and wanting to calm him down because it’s okay. Dean’s okay. Cas doesn’t need to rip anyone’s throat out over this.

“Here?” Cas asks, voice tight.

“No,” Dean answers quickly.

“Are you lying to me to calm me down?” There is suspicion in Cas’ scent but the grip in Dean’s hair actually loosens.

Dean pushes against the pressure of Cas’ hand to look up at him. “I’m not lying. Wasn’t here. Not in this pack.”

“Okay,” Cas says and takes a deep breath. “Not that that makes it any better but – okay.”

Dean doesn’t agree. It makes it better. Because he’s been watchful here but he’s not had the feeling that he needs to be on guard for every step he takes. And that’s definitely better.

“Tell me what you need from me right now, Dean,” Cas asks, voice quiet again. “Should I go?”

It takes an enormous amount of effort to propose this, Dean thinks. To propose leaving a hurting mate behind because that’s the only thing he can think of to make this better. It goes against every instinct Cas has. “No. Stay.”

There is a small sigh of relief from Cas. “Okay. In that case, are you sure you don’t want to come up here? Or I could come down there. Would that be okay?”

“It’s not right for you to sit on the floor,” Dean shakes his head because he’s not going to make the pack-Alpha sit on the floor for him.

“Then come up here. I promise it’s safe. You’re safe.”

He holds both hands out to help Dean up, so Dean climbs unsteadily to his feet before Cas draws him down next to him and wraps his arms around Dean. “Is this okay?”

The scent of worry is still the strongest in the mix, so Dean curls into Cas’ side, head at his shoulder, arms around his waist. Because he doesn’t like to smell worry on Cas. Or anything other than _happy_ actually. He’s just as protective of his Alpha as the Alpha is of him. That thought makes him feel better because this is not one-sided, this is mutual. When Cas worries, Dean can calm him down.

Dean hasn’t thought about that before, not really. What it means to be pack-Alpha without a mate or close family. How exhausting it must be. How Cas is worrying about everyone and trying to fix everything and how he is always responsible to keep everyone safe and happy. Everyone respects him and submits to him but everyone keeps their distance, too. He doesn’t get to feel down or insecure or have someone comfort him. Because he’s always got to be on top of things.

So Dean tugs at Cas’ shirt until Cas follows his movements and he draws them both down on the bed, and he presses close, allowing for as much contact between them as he can.

He remembers how calm and strong Cas’ smell had been while Dean was panicking that first night. Even though Cas has told him how distressing it was for him. Cas must have put a lot of effort and work into keeping his scent this neutral and calming.

Dean cups Cas’ face with his hand and strokes his thumbs over the stubble. “I won’t break. I might get scared but I won’t break. So you don’t have to always be calm and keep it together. Not around me.”

Cas’ eyes search for his. Dean smiles and lets him find the truth of what he’s saying.

Cas’ smile is small and if it wasn’t Cas Dean would call it shy. “You’re amazing, you know that, right?”

Because he doesn’t know but that makes him blush, Dean leans in for a kiss. It’s slow and tender and even though there’s want there, too, there’s mostly honey and it doesn’t frightened Dean and that may just be the strangest thing that’s happened in his life, lying in bed with an Alpha and kissing him and feeling safe doing so.

“Wanna give you every good thing you deserve, Cas. Wanna be good to you.”

“But you are, Dean. You are.”

 

\--

_Now…_

“Just worried or are you scared?” Sam asks. “I mean, I’d get it if you were. Cas is a good Alpha, but you’re pretty much signing your life over to him.”

“He’s mate,” Dean replies and the word pierces through his nerves enough that he manages a smile.

“Gosh, Dean,” Sam shakes his head and narrowly avoids sneezing by clamping his hand over his nose, “it’s been a month but I’m still not used to this.”

Dean chuckles. “Well, it answers your question at least. Worried. Not scared.”

There is a knock on the door.

“Come on in, it’s open.”

Ellen comes in, looking cool and business-like today in a grey suit. “You boys ready?”

“As ready as we’re going to get,” Dean sighs and gets up.

“Second thoughts?” Ellen asks with raised eyebrows.

Dean shakes his head. “Just nervous is all. Pack’s been good to us. Would hate to lose that.”

“Just the pack?” Ellen asks back.

Dean snorts. “Don’t ask stupid questions, Ellen.”

She crosses her arms. “It ain’t a stupid question, Dean. Cas is my Alpha and I work for him. But he’s also my friend. So if you’re not sure…”

“I’m sure, Ellen, alright? I was fucking sure after I knew him for half a day. I’ll do everything I have to to keep him. Or for him to keep me. Whatever.”

Ellen squints at him for another moment but then she nods. “Jo and Ash are going to get your stuff and bring it up to the manor. Just leave the door open. Ain’t no one going to steal from you today.”

She turns and make her way out.

“So she really is always this bossy,” Sam whispers because he didn’t have the pleasure of dealing with Ellen that much yet, the only opportunity so far having been the reading of the pack membership contracts. And even there, it had mostly been Cas talking.

 

\--

_3 weeks earlier…_

“Ellen, can we stop, please,” Cas sighs exasperatedly after Ellen isn’t even halfway through the list of obligations and taboos that come with pack membership for an Alpha who has no blood relations to the pack-Alpha.

Dean has sneaked a peak at his own contract and it’s even longer. But then, his isn’t just pack membership. His is a marriage contract. And Ellen tends to be thorough.

“The read through is necessary,” Ellen insists. “Everyone needs to know what they’re signing.”

“And that’s just my problem with this, Ellen. After you’re through reading this, we’ll all be depressed but no one will be the wiser.”

“What do you propose then?” Ellen asks, defeated.

“That everyone gets a copy of this to read at home. But right now, we’re talking life and not contracts. Because Sam, yeah, there’s a list of things that won’t be looked upon kindly. But they aren’t things that would have been tolerated while living as an outsider on our lands, either. So if you want to have them read in detail, tell me, but otherwise, maybe it’s easier for you to just summarize the most important points and I’ll summarize my promises to you in return.”

Sam looks a little surprised but he nods and starts without hesitation, knowing the list by heart anyway. “I have no intention of challenging your authority. I have no intention of taking your place. I will not try to steal pack members from you to start my own pack. I will not disrespect or harass any of the pack members, regardless of their social status. I submit to your command.”

Cas nods and smiles, obviously happy with the statements. “Thank you, Sam. In turn, I will hear and respect your opinion. I will treat you fairly and will protect you as one of my own. I will not attack you unprovoked and I will give you the freedom to live as you see fit. Should you find a partner in this community and should they want you as their mate, I will not interfere in the bond. I will support your education, including college, and you’ll always have a home to come back to in this pack. Ellen, how are we doing so far? Are we missing anything big?”

“Taxes,” Ellen shrugs.

Cas rolls his eyes. “As you live by our laws, which includes paying our taxes, I will make sure that you benefit from our medical coverage and education and everything else that tax money buys.”

There is a tiny smirk on Sam’s lips. “I shall pay taxes then, once I’m done with college. Until then, you should tell that to my brother.”

Cas smiles but the smile turns edgy when he turns to Dean. “Yeah, somehow taxes are not at all what I want to talk about with you, Dean. I’d actually like to start with my promises to you, if that’s okay? Because that contract says nothing about the things that are important to me.”

“Go ahead, Cas.” It is quiet and slightly unsure, Ellen’s presence making a difference in how free Dean feels he can be in his interactions with Cas.

“Okay.” Cas takes a deep breath. “Dean, you are my mate. I promise to honor you and to cherish you. Whatever is mine, I will share with you. I promise you to discuss every decision with you and never force you to do anything against your will. Whether you want to work and have a career, or further your education, or start a family, I’ll support you and be by your side. I love you, Dean, and while I understand the necessity of appearances, I do not expect you to submit to me in private. In fact, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t. You’re mate. You’re in no way lower than me.”

It is quiet enough that you could hear a needle drop in the room after Cas ends.

Finally, Ellen clears her throat. “That is indeed not covered by the contract.”

“A contract is necessary for the good of the pack. A promise is necessary for the good of our hearts,” Cas says. “Which doesn’t mean we can’t put it in if you need it written down to have something to hold on to when the day comes on which you disagree with me and feel scared to say it out loud. And I have no doubt that the day will come on which we have opposing opinions. Dean? Should we write this down?”

But Dean’s voice is gone for the moment. He had his promises pretty much prepared, and from the glimpse at the contract that he had gotten, he’d gathered that they should mainly focus on submission and fidelity and pups. But Cas has thrown him for a loop. Not that he shouldn’t have expected it. It isn’t the first time.

He laughs a shaky laugh. “I’ll have a mating bite to hold onto. I think I’m good with that.”

Cas nods. “In this case, I also promise that I’ll remind you that I vowed to treat you as my equal and accept your disagreement. I will never hurt you intentionally and I will protect you with my life.”

The words settle around them slowly and it’s Dean’s turn but he has to swallow hard and close his eyes for a moment. He isn’t good at expressing feelings and this is much less about a contract and much more about him and Cas. “I’m yours,” he starts because he knows that and it’s easy. “I will honor you and cherish you. I respect you and will do everything in my power to make you happy. I’ll protect you with my life if I have to. I’ll be a safe place in this world for you.”

Cas’ gaze is so full of affection that he has to duck his head and break off. There aren’t good enough words to express what he feels anyway.

“Can I ask something else of you, Dean?” Cas asks softly.

He nods even though he has no idea what he missed.

“Would you promise me to tell me when I fuck up? When I hurt you or waltz over you or when I’m otherwise stupid? Would you promise me not to swallow that down, and instead tell me so that I can become better? I want to be good to you, Dean. But I need your help.”

There’s a tingly feeling in his stomach when Dean nods. “I want to be good to you, too, Cas. See you for who you are. Not just as the pack-Alpha. But as Cas. So yeah, I’ll try. Can’t promise that I’ll always get the words out, but I’ll try.”

Cas smiles and catches Dean’s hand. “That’s good enough for me. Thank you.”

Ellen, on the other hand, just groans. “Now if you could just not say any of this at the official introduction, we’ll be fine.”

 

\--

_Now…_

The town hall is already crowded when Ellen leads them in. Dean has at least seen most people before, has repaired their cars at one time or another. Now they’re all ogling them nosily as they make their way to the front. Sam, for all his teenage bravado at home, is keeping so close to Dean that they’re brushing arms with every step.

Cas is waiting for them at the head of the hall. He looks calm and composed, but he always does, so it’s not necessarily an indication of what is going on. The Betas of his household are sitting in the front row, Charlie already grinning and waving at him. Dean gives her a fleeting smile. He owes her for bringing them to Cas that night. But more than that, he likes her. She’s funny and loyal and she’s quickly becoming his friend.

He isn’t quite so sure about the other redhead, the one that’s standing next to Cas on the raised platform. He’s met her once so far, Anna, Cas’ sister. And he knew she was going to be here to witness for Cas’ family, but he isn’t sure he likes it. It could be much worse, had Cas’ Alpha brothers decided to take today as a battle ground, but all his instincts tell him that Anna is bad news anyway.

 

\--

_2 weeks earlier…_

The program they have been watching has ended a while ago but Dean’s not had the chance to figure out what the new show is. He’s too distracted. Cas has got Dean’s wrists pinned easily above his head on the couch. He’s straddling him, using the leverage he’s got to nip and bite and lick at every bit of Dean’s exposed upper body. He’s soothing each bite with an immediate kiss, working his way down towards Dean’s belly.

It started out as a play-fight, involving the couch cushions and tickling and a chase that almost knocked the couch table over. It was all fun and nothing serious up unto the moment when Cas tackled him and pinned him down on the couch.

Chase won, the play-fight had given way to something headier.

Dean is straining his neck, trying to get his lips on Cas at least since he doesn’t have the use of his hands. But Cas frustratingly stays just out of reach. Dean whines and arches his back towards Cas, which is rewarded with a low rumble, half approval, half chuckle, before Cas leans back down to suck another mark into Dean’s skin.

He’s wearing enough of them now that he doesn’t even go shirtless around Sam anymore. But it’s addictive and intoxicating, the promise that comes with the marks. You’re mine and I’m yours. The promise is pooling hot in his guts, a feeling that he still isn’t used to. But he’s only had to say stop twice, and once Cas has stopped on his own because he noticed Dean’s scent changing to fear before Dean was even consciously aware of it.

Cas is apparently intent on actually waiting until they’re officially mates to go further than what they’re doing now. And maybe he knows what he’s doing, because there is an excitement and a want building in Dean that he never thought was hidden somewhere inside him. In fact, something in Dean has changed so profoundly that as often as not it is him now who initiates the chase, a primal need surfacing to be claimed by his Alpha again and again.

“Sorry to interrupt but you are needed, Cas.”

If there has been a knock on the living-room door, Dean hasn’t heard it. By the way Cas startles, neither has he.

“Hannah,” he sighs and releases Dean’s hands. “Haven’t we talked about the increased need for privacy?”

Hannah gives a long-suffering nod. She is a mostly humorless Beta who is Cas second-in-command. She’s a good fit for Cas’ needs in leadership assistance, because she’s quiet and efficient but has enough power to get her way if needed.

Dean doesn’t like her but he doesn’t have to. So he busies himself with switching the TV off.

“We have. But your sister is waiting in the lobby.”

“My sister is here?” Cas frowns and lets go of Dean completely.

“That’s what I just said,” Hannah replies stoically.

“Did she say why?”

Hannah raises her eyebrows, the furthest she’ll go when she thinks Cas is being dense. “Your family read the announcement in the paper. She’s here to enquire on their behalf.”

Cas grits his teeth. “I wish she wouldn’t. But I guess it can’t be helped. Stall her for a few minutes while I bring Dean up to speed on my family situation, will you?”

Cas’ scent has changed from the sweet and relaxed fragrances of a chase won and a pliable mate under his hands to a low prickly fire like dry thorny bushes burning in the heat. Dean sits up, stiff and tense at the unexpected change. Hannah just nods, unease wafting off of her, and turns to go.

“What’s wrong?” Dean asks when Cas balls his hands into fists and breathes deeply, obviously trying to regain his inner balance and gain control of his scent. Dean has the urge to run a calming hand along Cas’ back, but Cas has half turned away from Dean and he’s pretty sure the distance is intentional.

“How much do you know of our pack’s history, Dean?” The question is quiet yet sharp.

Dean raises his eyebrows. Cas knows full well that pack history is considered pack business and pack business is not discussed with outsiders. “I know that there was in-fighting for a while. And that the pack stabilized after you took over.”

Cas snorts an unhappy laugh. “That’s one way to put it.”

Dean judges the situation silently because the other thing he knows is that this is an old pack. It’s been run by Cas’ family for generations. So whatever happened, it’s got a direct link to Cas. “Why don’t you tell me how you’d put it then,” he finally replies.

Cas shakes his head as if he doesn’t want to but then starts anyway. “I’ll give you the short version: My father up and left. My two older Alpha brothers started fighting about who gets the lead of the pack. Michael won and cast Lucifer out. But Michael was – well, I guess he was everything that you expected me to be. Terrifying, aggressive, unfair. He treated my Omega brother Gabriel badly enough that he fled. And Michael hated me, because I was also Alpha and he was scared I would start an insurgency. It was only Anna, my Beta sister, who he actually liked. Treated her like a princess, which is why she went with him when...”

“When what?” Dean prompts quietly even though the water-lily smell emanating from Cas at the pain of the memory is choking him.

“Lucifer came back with a group of followers. Tried to oust Michael. Started a war in the process that almost ripped the pack apart.” For the first time, Cas looks at Dean again. “But this pack is more than its leader. It isn’t helpless. Wasn’t me who started to fight back. It was Ellen and Bobby who organized the resistance on the part of the townsfolk. It was them who voted for me as pack leader. I – I didn’t want it. I was training to be a doctor. I would have been good with that. But I saw what my brothers were doing and…” Cas bites his lips. “Couldn’t let that happen to our pack. So I got Hannah on my side – she was Michael’s assistant at the time – and we started to fight from within the family. And we won.” He sneers at the word. “Didn’t feel much like winning. Sitting trial over my own brothers. They’re banned now. If they ever come back on pack territory, they’ll be executed on sight. We’re still tracking their movements, though. Making sure they won’t come back with an army.”

“Wow,” Dean is at a loss for words.

Cas sits up straight, purpose in his features. “Right now, I’m the last eligible pack-Alpha of my bloodline, Dean. If I don’t have pups, my brothers and my sister see a chance. If not for themselves, then for whatever offspring they’ll be producing eventually. Anna is not a bad person but she won’t be happy about you.”

“Okay,” Dean nods. “I get it. I’m warned. I’ll stay back.”

That’s all they have time for before Anna is entering.

“Brother!” She’s wearing a bright smile and stretching her arms out to hug him but it doesn’t cover the notes of calculation and distrust in her scent. Her nose crinkles as the smell of the room hits her, their playtime not dissipated yet, but she covers it quickly.

“Anna,” Cas greets her and gets up from the couch.

Dean gets up, too, but he stays by the couch where Cas walks up to Anna, though he side-steps her arms neatly to avoid the hug.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Cas asks, tone formal and noncommittal.

“Can’t a sister want to see her brother? Especially when there’s such exciting news!” Her eyes flick to Dean, appraising him in a few seconds and by the look of it finding him lacking. No surprise there.

“If you came to congratulate me on the start of my courtship, your congratulations are received and I thank you for them.”

“Of course. But that’s a bit short, don’t you think? You could invite me for a drink and we could chat and catch up?” Anna asks, twirling her long hair in her fingers, obviously bent on looking as innocent and charming as possible.

The tactic is a different one than he knows, but it makes Dean uneasy how much her demeanor and scent says ‘I’m on par with you, brother, whether you’re the Alpha or not’.

“I could,” Cas allows. “But I had plans.”

“With your boytoy?” Anna asks, condescension not even hidden.

Yep, same tone that got his Dad in trouble every time. Wannabe-Alphas, not his favorite kind of people. And that would hold true even if he wasn’t the one being called ‘boytoy’.

“With my _mate_ if that was what you wanted to say,” Cas says, tone low and warning.

Anna shrugs. “He’s still just a…” Dean is pretty sure that ‘omega bitch’ were the words that were supposed to follow that, but something in Cas’ expression or scent makes her shut up abruptly. With visible effort, she puts on her smile again. “He could join us, of course. I’m sure he’s interesting company.”

Dean guesses it makes sense. If Cas’ brother treats her like a princess, she’s used to getting what she wants. All the privileges of the Alpha’s household but without having to shoulder any of the responsibilities that come with it.

“Yeah, that won’t happen. I will not submit Dean to that. And I believe it is better for your safety, too. I shouldn’t place you in a position that allows you to be rude to Dean. Not ever and definitely not while I am in the room.”

It’s a barely veiled threat and Anna’s smile falters even more.

“But now that you’re already here, I’m guessing we may as well hash this out. Dean, do you mind stepping out for this? You can wait in the library if you want. It won’t take long.”

Dean takes another look at Cas’ sister. She’s staring at him, an obvious attempt to intimidate him that raises Dean’s hackles. And because Cas is in the room and Dean knows he’s going to get away with it he smirks at her and walks a few provocative steps towards her instead of being good and lowering his eyes. Her eyes narrow but that makes Dean smirk only wider. He’s got her off balance and that’s enough for him right now.

So he turns to Cas when he’s at his side, demeanor immediately changing, the challenge dropping out of him. Making it very clear to Anna that he’ll submit to Cas but to Cas only. “If you want to take your time, I can go home. Pretty sure Sam would be psyched about marathon-ing Lord of the Rings.” He tries to convey with the rest of his body what he isn’t saying, that he’ll stay if Cas needs him close.

Cas’ eyes turn soft when he looks at Dean and his hand strays to where he’s sucked a mark into Dean’s chest not an hour ago. “That’s a good idea. I’m sure he’ll love it. I’ll call you later?”

“I’ll be there.” It’s a bigger promise than just not turning the phone off during movie night.

 

\--

_Now…_

They’ve reached the front and Ellen positions them to the side so that they’re facing the crowd. Dean’s gaze automatically sinks to the floor, hands already sweaty. He hates being on display. It makes the blood rush loudly in his ears and his feet are twitching with the instinct to run. He counters it by very firmly folding his hands behind his back. It makes his shoulders hunch, but it has the advantage that no one’s going to see how much his hands are shaking.

 

\--

_2 weeks earlier…_

“How’d it go?” Dean asks before Cas even had the time to say hello. Dean leaves the living room but waves at Sam to just keep watching the movie. They’re already in The Two Towers, so Cas has talked to his sister for quite a while.

“Words were exchanged.” Cas sounds tired. “Many words. Some of them very ugly.”

Dean’s protective instincts immediately rear their head. “I should have stayed. Should have been there for you.”

Cas laughs an exhausted little laugh. “No, believe me, it was better that you weren’t. I get protective enough of you as it is. If she had said anything else to your face…” There is a slight growl from him even just thinking about it. “I wouldn’t have given any guarantees.”

“Should I come over now?” Dean asks stubbornly.

There is a slight smile in Cas’ voice when he answers. “But you’re watching a movie with your brother, aren’t you?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“It matters, Dean. It matters to him and to you. So it matters to me, too. I’m good. Exhausted, but good. We reached an understanding. She’ll be my witness at the ceremony. I mean, I wish Gabriel was here. I’d much rather have him there, obnoxious trickster that he is. But Anna will have to suffice.”

 

\--

_Now…_

He’s already missed part of Cas’ introduction at that point. It’s okay though, he’s pretty sure he knows what Cas is saying. He perks up now because Cas is turning to them.

“Sam Winchester, could you step forward, please?” Cas asks.

Dean gives Sam a little nudge, encouragement and getting him to move at the same time because Sam is holding himself stiffly upright where Dean is hunching. So they’re both falling into stereotypes that don’t necessarily fit them and that they revert to only when they’re scared.

“Sam, you’ve been living with us for almost four years. You know our customs and habits. Your rights and obligations in the pack have been explained to you. Do you still want to become a pack member?”

“Yes, Alpha.” It sounds as hoarse as when Sam had the fever.

“You are an Alpha but you are not _the_ Alpha of this pack. So in order to become a pack member, you need to accept my authority over you. Will you do that?”

Instead of answering in words, Sam lets himself sink to his knees and tilts his head to the side. Seeing how freakishly tall he is, it’s about the only way to give Cas access to his neck and throat.

Cas looks at Sam for a moment before stepping forward. He traces his hand over the exposed skin of Sam’s throat. It’s all Dean can do not to growl. He isn’t even sure whether it’s because of the vulnerable position Sammy is in or because Cas in his mind really shouldn’t be touching anyone but Dean. Either way, he doesn’t like it.

But Cas doesn’t let the touch linger, he just pushes Sam’s head upright again and says serenely. “I accept your pledge. There has been no opposition to your introduction into the pack. Please stand so that we can sign the contract.”

Dean thinks his knees might be giving out at the words ‘no opposition’. Because whatever else happens, Sam is safe. Sam’s got a pack. Sam won’t become lone wolf.

They are signing, Cas first, then Sam. The crowd is chatting among themselves, but mostly it’s muttered approval, Dean thinks. Sam did well, kneeling in front of Cas. Making himself small and vulnerable where he usually isn’t.

They’re done with the contract now, having signed two copies, one for each party. Dean can’t hear what Cas is saying to Sam, but it makes Sam smile and nod and he smiles at Dean, too, when he comes back to take his place next to him again.

Dean wants to tell him ‘congratulations’ and ‘well done’, but finds that his voice doesn’t cooperate and so he just claps him on the shoulder and Sam nods and understands.

The crowd is quieting down again, the tension in the room higher than it was for the first part of this. Dean goes back to clamping his hands behind his back, holding on to his wrist so hard that he’s sure he’s going to leave bruises.

“Dean, would you step forward, please?” Cas’ voice is softer than it had been with Sam.

Somehow, Dean makes his feet move, so that they carry him the few steps to respectful distance from Cas, even though he’s keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the floor.

There is a slight huff from Cas and then Cas is crossing the last two steps until he’s right next to Dean, close enough that even with his eyes downwards, Dean’s gaze can’t get lower than Cas’ hips.

Cas doesn’t immediately address him, he turns to the crowd first. “You all know well that Dean’s pack membership is a personal matter to me. So with all apologies to Ellen I will deviate from proper protocol and tell you about Dean in my own words.” His voice carries effortlessly and there is pride and affection in it when he continues, “For the longest time, you all have known Dean better than I have. He has lived and worked among you. He has raised his brother with your help. One of the first things he’s ever told me about himself is that you have been good to him. So today, I want you to know that I’m grateful for that. That I appreciate every kind word and every bit of support you gave him and that you give to the other outsiders among us. We are a good pack. We care. And I can see that you care about Dean, too. Because Ellen has gotten a whole stack of responses to our announcement that we’re courting.”

Cas pauses and Dean can feel his gaze on him. By now he knows that that means Cas wants eye contact, so he looks up and looks right into a radiant smile.

“A stack of responses, Dean. I don’t think you’re even aware of how many people you’ve got on your side. I’ve got a letter from Bobby threatening mutiny if I make you quit your job against your will. I’ve got a letter from Jody telling me that she always knew I’d come to my senses and make a good choice with my mate. I’ve got a letter that is unsigned but that I’m pretty sure is from Charlie that doesn’t say anything but ‘Fuck yeah, bitches.’” He raises an eyebrow at Charlie, who blushes and shrugs guiltily. “There are many more and I want to thank you all for them. They’ve made me very happy.”

Then Cas’ expression and tone suddenly turn darker. “I will not withhold from you that there has also been opposition.” He glances towards his sister and repositions himself to stand firmly between her and Dean. “Anna, would you step forward as a representative of that opinion, please?”

“Cas, you know it’s not personal…”

But he doesn’t let her finish. “Just step forward, please.”

She nods and does, even though she’s obviously uncomfortable.

“The opposition has come solely from my family, claiming bloodlines and propriety as reasons against this union. Anna, I must tell you, I would have been more inclined to listen to any counter-argument if you had actually taken the time to get to know Dean. You should have known me well enough to be aware in advance that a generic argument based on archaic traditions would hold no sway over me, and would only make me question your motives. And Anna, I know you haven’t been the instigator of this and I do not hold a grudge against you. But your opposition is overruled. Oh, and please, when you go see them, tell my brothers to go fuck themselves.”

The last sentence is delivered in the same even tone as the rest of the rebuke, so it takes a moment to sink in. Anna’s eyes widen even while the crowd starts laughing and Ellen has a small coughing fit.

Cas waits until the ruckus has calmed down before he continues, his voice sharper than Dean has ever heard it before. “Let me make one thing clear. Anna, I think you need to hear this more than the rest of my pack, but it goes for everyone. I value Dean as highly as I value myself. He is my mate and my partner. If you say a harsh word to him, or attack him, it is as if you attack me and the consequences will be the same. If you try to bend him to your will and have him obey your command, it’s as if you try to bend me to your will and the consequences will be the same. He is claimed and he is protected. Have I made myself clear?”

There are nods of agreement from the crowd and after a moment, Anna inclines her head, too. “Yes, Alpha.”

 

\--

_1 ½ weeks earlier…_

“Bobby, can I ask you something?” Dean fidgets somewhat nervously.

“What’s up, boy?”

Dean bites his lips. He better sugar-coat this somehow if he wants Bobby to do this for him. “You and Ellen… You’re the heart of the pack.”

Bobby’s eyebrows rise. “Not sure your beau would agree there.”

“No, he would. I know it. He told me about you and Ellen back when… Before he was pack-Alpha.”

“Okay,” Bobby says carefully. “That’s been a long time, boy.”

“But back then, you were both the heart of the community and also its eyes and ears,” Dean persists and tackles the topic he’s actually interested in. “Are you still?”

Bobby leans back in his chair, watching him intensely, scent sharper and more suspicious than it had been. “What do you want?”

“A favor,” Dean says. “I’ll repay it whatever way I can.”

“Spit it out already,” Bobby growls, impatience rising.

It’s never good to get on the bad side of Bobby’s temper, so Dean just lets the bomb drop. “Can you find Gabriel Novak for me?”

“What the…” Bobby seems at a loss for words for a moment before he gets his voice back under control. “What the hell do you want from him?”

“Can you find him?” Dean insists.

“The ghosts of the past are dangerous, son.”

Dean shakes his head. “It’s not the past I’m after. I’m trying to build a future.”

Bobby thinks about that for a moment. “Does Cas know?”

“No he doesn’t. Don’t want to get his hopes up in case it doesn’t pan out.”

“You doing this for him then?”

“Yeah. Maybe. Mostly. Look, I have my brother, Bobby, and I wouldn’t know what I’d do without him. I’d be devastated if he’d disappear. And I’d give everything to have him back.”

“I don’t know, Dean,” Bobby weighs his head from side to side, “Gabriel isn’t Sam. You sure Cas is going to be happy about this?”

Dean sighs. “I guess that depends on if Gabriel actually wants to talk to him.” When Bobby just rubs his face and doesn’t answer, Dean adds, “Come on, Bobby, if you’re not sure about Cas, do it for me. Cas said Gabriel’s an Omega. So that makes him an Omega without a pack.”

“Like you,” Bobby says as if suddenly everything makes sense.

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “Like me. Frikking hard life. And he didn’t have you to give him a job. So I’d like to at least try and make sure he’s okay. That he didn’t end up in a brothel somewhere. Find him and I’ll talk to him. If he’s doing well then if he doesn’t want to talk to Cas, fine. But if he needs help… He’d have a home here. Cas is a good guy. And y’all are pretty decent, too.”

“Oh son…” Bobby sighs.

But Dean smiles because he knows that look. He has won. “Thanks, Bobby.”

“Remember that you owe me one,” Bobby grumbles, “and now shoo. I have phone calls to make.”

 

\--

_Now…_

“Good,” Cas nods satisfied and takes a deep breath before he turns back to Dean. “Dean, we have given each other promises already and the mating bite is private. But I want to ask you this in front of everyone, so that they all may be our witnesses. Dean Winchester, will you accept me as your mate and from this day on share your life with me?”

Dean is still reeling from Cas’ speech, so he isn’t sure how to find his voice or how to react. Cas seems to notice, too, because suddenly he has a strong grip on Dean’s arm, knowing full well that Dean’s standard reaction to him when he’s insecure is to just slip to the floor and submit. It’s a trained reaction that at this point has less to do with Cas and more with how Dean grew up but he hasn’t quite managed to shed it.

“Don’t,” Cas says quietly so that it’s only for Dean’s ears. “Not in this. I want you to accept me as your partner because you want me, not because you submit to me.”

“I do, Cas, I do.” It comes out broken and low, so he has to clear his throat and say it again, loud enough this time that everyone can hear. “Yes, Cas, I do. I want you. I want to be yours.”

Cas shivers at the words and his scent turns sweet as if it is the first time today that he is relaxing. He leans forward, eyes on Dean to make sure it is okay, and when Dean nods leans in for a kiss.

The applause starts somewhere from around where Charlie is sitting, he thinks, but soon the whole hall is following and there is hooting and a few catcalls, too, and where other Alphas might get angry, Cas chuckles against his lips and then presses Dean closer, apparently intent to give everyone a good show.

When they finally break apart, Cas takes his hand and leads him over to the table so that they can sign the papers. “They’re going to want to congratulate us. You okay with that?” Cas asks quietly. “I know you’re uncomfortable in crowds.”

Dean sets his name on the paper and looks up at Cas. “You’re going to be there.” It’s not a question, just a simple statement to explain.

 

Congratulations last a long time. Cas has decided to just perch on the edge of the stage, drawing Dean close to him and chatting for a few minutes with everyone who wants to chat. And pretty much everyone does.

Dean is content to let Cas do the talking. He’s shaking hands with people he knows and people he doesn’t know at all. The arm around his waist is heavy and secure, so even when he dislikes one scent or another, or someone’s gaze is too guarded or the stare a little too aggressive, it doesn’t bother him much.

He looks for Sam after a while but Sam seems good, chatting easily with Charlie after his own congratulations have ebbed.

And then finally the hall is empty apart from them, Cas’ household, Anna and Ellen.

Ellen sighs in relief. “That could have gone worse.”

Cas turns around to her. “”My apologies for giving you half a heart-attack there. But it was necessary.”

“Well,” Ellen huffs a laugh, “for once you didn’t leave them unclear about your authority. That’s something. I’m taking my victories where I find them.”

“For the fact, that I’m supposed to be the one with said authority, you’re quite pushy, you know that, right?”

Ellen snorts. “I’m your lawyer, Cas. You pay me to be pushy.”

Cas thinks about that for a moment, then he shrugs. “I concede the point. Dean, would you like to walk home? Sam can go with the others. I know there’s the party tonight, but I thought… Maybe a few less people for a little while?”

“Okay,” Dean nods and Cas takes his hand again.

“See you all later then.”

 

\--

_3 days earlier…_

“Make sure that you know what you’re doing.” Bobby hands him a folded piece of paper.

Dean looks at it confused, but when he unfolds it, things become immediately clear. “You found him? In a week?” There’s names and an address and a phone number written on the paper.

“Sure did. Network never really lost touch completely.”

“Thank you,” Dean says and stares at the phone number.

“Call him. Talk to him. Before you tell Cas. You weren’t here when things went down. But it hit Cas hard. Make sure you don’t stir shit up for him without good cause.”

Dean nods. “I will.”

 

\--

_Now…_

Cas leads him out of town, the path towards the lake instead of the direct way towards the manor.

The forests aren’t quiet, the wind rustling through the leaves, birds singing and small critter darting this way or that. But they’re quiet in opposition to the crowded hall and Cas was right, Dean has needed this. He feels his shoulders relax, the anxiety of the day finally seeping away.

“I was thinking,” Cas starts hesitantly after a while.

“Hmm?”

“It is really pretty out at the lake. We could take a break there.”

“Sounds good.”

Cas fidgets a little. “I wasn’t finished yet. I’d like… I’d like to do the mating bite with a clear head, Dean. Not in the haze of pheromones and endorphins during… I want you to always know that I chose you. Not your body. Not what you can give me. Just you. So, would you be okay with doing this out here?” He brushes his hand over the bruise at his neck, now more a layer of bruises because they’ve sucked new ones every time the old ones faded, neither of them wanting to go for even a day without the reminder of who they are to each other.

“You’re a strange, strange Alpha,” Dean says and squeezes Cas’ hand.

“Is that a yes?” Cas asks with a smile.

Dean rolls his eyes and takes Cas’ hand. “It’s always been one.”

 

\--

_3 days earlier…_

Dean doesn’t go home directly from work. Instead, he takes the long route and finds a quiet place to sit. He takes the piece of paper out of his pocket and stares at it for a long time.

He thinks he is doing the right thing. But he can’t know.

Three weeks ago, he’d have said: don’t meddle. Don’t try to make things better, because you’re just going to fuck it up and in the end it’s going to be worse. If the status quo is bearable, then don’t change it.

But if the past few weeks have shown him one thing, then it is that expecting no more than bearable from life is not enough.

Cas has changed his perspective.

Even the things he’s most afraid of seem different these days. Less overwhelming.

And a lot of shit that he thought are just a cross to bear, suddenly actually seem like something he wants. Like being with his mate. Having him as his lover. Even kids suddenly seem like something that’s desirable.

Cas misses his brother. And Dean’s got the means to at least find out how Gabriel feels about this. So he will do that.

Resolutely, he punches the digits into his phone.

 

\--

_Now…_

They go down to the small pier. It is sunny and quite warm, so they get rid of their shoes and let their feet dangle over the edge and into the water. It is peaceful and calm, not even the smells are intrusive, the wind bringing just the slightly muddy scent of the water.

But after they’ve been sitting quietly next to each other for a moment, Dean turns to Cas. Because peaceful is all good but he can admire the view some other time. Right now, he has different things on his mind. So he shrugs out of his dress shirt and draws his undershirt over his head.

Cas’ eyes are immediately on him, following each movement with interest.

Dean’s got a hard time not smirking, it’s so predictable. “Wanna get rid of your shirt, too?” he asks.

There’s a short moment when he thinks Cas is going to ask something or maybe tease, but then he unbuttons the top few buttons of his dress shirt and pulls it over his head.

The warmth low in Dean’s gut begins to congregate and expand, both at the sight before him and the fact that the Alpha has pretty much obeyed him, swiftly and without questions. Dean’s eyes are drawn to Cas’ collarbone, the stretch of skin delicious and inviting and having a magnetic pull. He’s licking his lips by the time he manages to draw his gaze away.

He finds Cas staring at the exact same spot on Dean’s neck, eyes blown wide, hands clenched into the fabric of his pants as if it’s a conscious effort to keep them from reaching out.

Only there is no reason not to reach out. Dean tilts his head to the side, giving even wider access. “Come on, Cas, don’t want to wait any longer. Wanna be yours.”

Because yeah, they’ve signed papers and that’s all good and modern but this is the moment that makes it real. And he’s more than ready.

Cas’ eyes light up while Dean talks. Dean can see it, the moment he gives in to his Alpha side, but more than that, he can smell it, earthiness and honey suddenly overlaid with something wild, centuries of forests condensed into one smell.

Cas leaps and Dean finds himself lying on his back. Even though it was almost too fast for him to recognize the movement, Cas handled the impulse safely, lowering Dean to the ground without hurting him. Weirdly enough, that is also something Alpha strength can do, catching him before he ever falls.

Cas’ legs are circling his hips, holding him in place without holding him down. This is not a chase, Dean didn’t get caught. He is here because he wants this. So he paws at Cas’ chest to get him to bend down, even while staying otherwise still to allow Cas access to every stretch of skin.

Cas sniffs and scents at his neck, taking his time, even though the perfect place is clear, already marked over and over again. Dean’s hands on his chest don’t get him to speed up and neither does bucking his hips up. Finally, Dean can’t keep quiet anymore and the noise he makes is somewhere between a growled request to move faster and a whimper of unfulfilled need. And something about the sound, maybe the demand in it, maybe the abandon of Dean’s want, makes Cas snap. He sinks his teeth deep into Dean’s neck.

There’s an initial shock of pain that makes Dean gasp but by the time it consciously registers, Cas is already licking over the bite, soothing it. And then he’s kissing Dean and pleasure starts curling into the pain and taking over. He arches his back, aligning every inch of exposed skin with Cas.

But they aren’t done yet, this is only half the way. So he keeps as much of his wits about him as he can, wraps his arms tightly around Cas’ back and uses a moment of distraction to get the leverage to roll them both over. A startled little growl escapes from Cas but he doesn’t protest any further, even though he’s lying with his chest and belly exposed now, Dean straddling him.

It’s unusual for them, Dean never really comfortable in a position of power. It’s easier to just go along with the flow. But now he’s running his hands up and down Cas’ chest, nipping at his skin and finding his way up to Cas’ collarbone. Cas is breathing heavily, eyes dark, blue almost gone because his pupils are so wide, but electric where it still can be seen.

Cas’ skin is soft and lovely and it tastes sweeter than it has any right to. Dean’s capacity for thought gets less with every small teasing bite, the ability to draw this out and make Cas squirm falling away, the need to seal their lives together overwhelming everything else. _Mate._ There is no space in Dean’s thoughts for anything but that. _Mate._

He hasn’t even noticed that his teeth have found flesh until the metallic taste of blood on his tongue startles him. It’s warm and it’s thick and he doesn’t have a thing for blood but he still licks it up, every drop of it until the wound has stopped bleeding. Because it’s Cas and Cas is mate and all of Cas is his and all of him is Cas’.

He leans back in for a kiss then, heated and demanding. “Want you, Cas,” he breathes the words into Cas’ mouth. “Want all of you. Right now.”

 

\--

_Now, somewhat later…_

They’re still naked, though their sweat has mostly dried and their heartrates have gone down to normal. They’re lying as closely together as if they’d still be attached to each other. They aren’t but Cas has his arm slung around Dean’s waist and every so often he is licking a few drops of sweat from Dean’s back and it’s tender and it feels like they’re glowing from the inside out and Dean never wants to move again.

He’s slowly coming down off the endorphin high, enough that his brain is working again, enough to register that he isn’t hurting. In fact, his blood pumps through him at a sated pulse that is unlike anything he’d ever known. He snuggles back into Cas and marvels at that.

Because this had always been the worst part. Getting through the act itself was one thing, but then being stuck, physically not able to remove himself from the situation, even though he was hurting and all he wanted to do was to crawl home and get a shower instead of being submitted to whatever bullshit the random Alpha was spouting in their blissful afterglow, that had been the worst.

But now, he is good. His limbs feels loose and heavy, warmed by the sun and by Cas’ skin against his back. And Cas doesn’t spout bullshit. He is silent and content, scent so wonderfully sweet again that no sugar factory can beat it. It clouds Dean’s mind in the best possible way.

So Dean sighs contentedly and draws Cas’ arms closer around himself. “Love you,” he mumbles, “you know that, right?”

It is answered with a series of kisses along his shoulder blades. “I love you, too, Dean.”

 

Dean only notices that he has fallen asleep when he wakes up to Cas moving. The sun has disappeared behind the tree-line, though it is still reasonably warm. Dean stretches his limbs, stiff now from sleeping on the wooden platform. “We’re going to miss our party,” he says lazily.

“Wouldn’t mind that too much,” Cas smiles. “But I guess we should try to get back before it’s dark and someone comes looking for us.”

Dean chuckles. “Well, we could traumatize our siblings if they find us still naked and sweaty…”

“Better not,” Cas smiles. “Actually, since the lake is right here, we can do something about the sweaty…” He doesn’t hesitate and jumps into the water.

Dean shakes his head and follows slower. His gaze strays to his dress shirt for a moment. He had almost forgotten that. But the mention of siblings reminded him.

 

They dry themselves off as best as they can, slipping back into their pants, but still not really ready to face the world again.

So they stare over the water for a while, heads leaned together, wrapped up in each other, while the wind dries the rest of the water from their skin and out of their hair.

“Cas?” Dean finally asks because the presence of the shirt behind him has been distracting him for the past ten minutes and he guesses now is as good a time as any.

“Hmm?” Cas asks lazily.

Dean straightens up and away from Cas a bit. Just enough that he can grab his shirt. “I, umm, got something for you,” he stutters, suddenly insecure. “Wedding present I guess.”

“Wedding present?” Cas looks at him confused. “But we’ve said no presents.”

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing expensive. Actually, it didn’t cost anything… It’s… God, I don’t know. Just look at it.” He fishes the folded piece of paper from his pocket and shoves it at Cas, praying to whatever deity might be willing to listen that this isn’t a big fat stupid mistake.

Cas’ brow creases in confusion but he takes the paper and unfolds it. “Balthazar and Gabriel Milton, Peachtree Drive 401… what is – Dean, what is this?”

“Gabriel’s current address. Phone number, too,” Dean says with a shrug that is far less nonchalant than it could be. Because there is a hot coal feel of worry. Cas didn’t exactly give him permission to snoop around in his family life.

“Dean.” The tone is too shocked to figure out any other emotion behind it.

Dean watches Cas carefully, reasonably sure that Cas’ self-control will win out in any case but still glad that there’s no outward anger.

“I’m sorry if this was wrong of me, Cas. If I fucked up, I’ll find a way to make it up to you. But you said you were unhappy about Anna being your witness. That you’d rather have Gabe. So, I thought, maybe, you know, if I found him, you’d like to talk to him.”

 

\--

_2 days earlier…_

“Milton residence, helloooo!” The voice is bright and loud and slightly intimidating.

“Umm, hi,” Dean says and rubs his neck, “I wanted to speak to Gabriel Milton?”

“You’ve reached him, unknown caller with the sexy voice. Would you mind telling me who you are?”

Dean’s taken off guard by the tone, but he just ploughs on. “Umm, my name’s Dean Winchester. You don’t know me. But I’m your brother’s mate. Well, or will be in two days, technically.”

Silence at the other end of the line. “Come again?”

“Umm, you were born Gabriel Novak, right? I’m marrying your brother. Castiel.”

“Fucking hell on a popsicle.” There’s a noise like someone plonking down in a chair and then some growling and grumbling from the background and Gabriel’s voice gets distorted when he talks to someone in the room. “No, honey, no one is threatening me. It’s fine. No need to growl.” Gabriel speaks into the phone again then, “Sorry. Fucking Alphas are so fucking over-protective sometimes.”

Dean chuckles at the string of curses. “Is that your mate then? The fucking Alpha?”

“Well, I am fucking him often enough, so I’m entitled to call him that.”

And just like this, Dean thinks he knows what Cas meant with obnoxious as well as why he likes his brother. “Too much info, man, too much info.”

There is a slight chuckle, but then Gabriel’s voice goes serious again. “So, did I hear that right, you and Cassie?”

Dean nods. “Yup.”

“How’s he doing… No wait, let’s start at the beginning. How the hell did you get this number?” It doesn’t sound quite as angry as the words suggest.

Dean shrugs. “Friend of mine. Doesn’t matter, really. If you want to blame someone, blame me. Cause I asked him to find you.” He sighs, because he isn’t good at explaining shit but he guesses he has to. “Look, man, Cas told me about what happened with your family. About the shitty way your older brother treated you. About that you left them a note not to try to find you and you didn’t want to see any of them again. And believe me, man, I get it. I got a Dad that I hope will never figure out where I went. But Cas… Cas isn’t Michael. Cas is a good guy. And he’s never looked for you because he’s all about respecting boundaries and shit, but he’s not… he’s not an Omega. He doesn’t know. So I just - I just wanted to make sure. That you’re good. Are you good?”

But Gabriel doesn’t answer immediately. “Winchester, Winchester…” He thinks out loud. “Never heard the name. Though admittedly, it’s been a while. But I’m good with names. And from what you just said, you’re an Omega, too. So I would have known you growing up.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Dean shakes his head. “I’m not pack. Been living here for a few years now, but didn’t grow up here. Never even met Cas before last month.”

“You’re not pack?” There’s confusion in Gabriel’s voice now.

“I know,” Dean nods, “sounds like a fucking fairytale. Pack-Alpha falls in love with outsider Omega. Actually happened, though. I found Cas. Or he found me. Thought I’d try to give him back a little bit at least. I know that he misses you. That he’d want to talk to you. So I wanted to ask if I could give your number to him. But, you know, no pressure, man. Whatever you want. Just tell me you’re fine, and if you don’t want me to, I’ll never bug you again.”

But Gabriel isn’t talking into the receiver when he speaks. “No, Bal, I’m not crying! I’m most definitely not crying. Leave me alone. Bal!” There’s a squishy sound and Dean thinks the phone just got caught up in a hug and then there are a few shaky breaths and then Gabriel is talking to him again. “Sorry, Dean. This is a bit overwhelming. I don’t even know what to say.”

And yeah, Dean gets that. “You’ve got a mate. Start there. He good to you?”

“He’s a pain in the ass,” Gabriel replies and it sounds like the slight sob in his voice is turning into a chuckle. “He’d fuss over me 24/7 if he didn’t have to work. Fact that we’re trying for pups doesn’t make it any better.”

“Congrats on that.”

“Ah, we aren’t there yet,” Gabriel says dismissively.

“Big step, though. You two got a pack?”

“City dwellers.” It’s supposed to sound casual but there’s a longing there that’s hard to miss.

“City’s rough,” Dean replies because his memories of the city with its complex structures and millions of ways to fall off the grid aren’t the best.

“Tell me about it,” Gabriel sighs.

“I guess it’s better when you have someone. All I had was a baby brother to care for. Don’t think I’d have made it. Not the way I did here, anyway, with a job at the garage and a place for my brother and me.”

It’s an unspoken question because he wants to ask but he doesn’t know Gabriel so he wants to give him an out, too.

Gabriel clears his throat but he doesn’t make an attempt at deflection. “Well, I probably made more money than you at your garage. Movies. Pays better than most other shit. Not quite as violent, either. Not all of it, anyway.”

There is a dark silence stretching between them after that. A wordless acknowledgement that the world is a fucking piece of shit sometimes.

Finally, Gabriel sighs. “Well, don’t ever watch any older Casa Erotica movies with my brother if you don’t want to scar him for life.”

“So you’re out?” Dean asks to be sure.

“Fuck yeah. Bal would rip anyone who’d touch me to shreds. Was hard enough to convince him not to go back and find anyone who ever did.”

Dean chuckles drily. “Yeah, I’ve had that conversation with Cas, too. Wasn’t a job, though. Just the, you know, normal.”

Gabriel’s answer is quietly furious. “Ever noticed how everyone has to have this conversation with their mates? What the fuck is wrong with the world?”

“Damned if I know,” Dean shrugs, even though he’d have a list of things wrong with the world if you pressed him on it.

Gabriel sighs and takes a deep breath. “So, Cassie. How’s he doing? Is he treating you well? Cause he’d better or I’m going to set Bal on him.”

Dean snorts. “You don’t even know me, man. And you’d let your brother get ripped to shreds for me?”

“If you don’t fit the world, you gotta change it so it fits you, Dean-o. Can’t change things if you tolerate crap. Learned that lesson years ago.”

Dean accepts that with a nod but doesn’t press the issue. Bringing up Michael and Lucifer won’t do much good. So he just says, “Well, you’ll be happy to hear then that your brother is pretty fucking amazing. He’s running a more than decent pack, too. Whatever shit your other brothers pulled, he doesn’t. And believe me I expected him to. But he’s been nothing but good. It’s just that – he’s lonely without his family. He won’t say it because he’s a pigheaded Alpha, but he’s only got Anna as his witness for the wedding, and he doesn’t even like her. He really wants you to be here for that.”

“I don’t – I don’t know, Dean-o. It’s been a long time. And we got a life here. I get to make chocolates for my shop. I just, I don’t know.”

Dean nods, even though he is disappointed. “I get it. I do. But… Think you would be up to talking to him sometime?”

“Can I think about that?”

“Course,” Dean nods. “You got my number now, so call me back if you have any questions.”

“When did you want to tie the knot, did you say?”

“Day after tomorrow.”

“So I get it you want the answer by then?”

“Would be nice. It’d be my wedding present for him.”

“And you’re sure he’d want to talk to me?”

“I’m sure,” Dean says with conviction, because about that part there is absolutely no doubt in his mind.

“Alright,” Gabriel says.

“Alright you’ll call me back?”

“Alright you can give him the number. Just don’t make me regret this, please.”

 

\--

_Now…_

Cas is holding the paper gingerly as if it might bite him. Dean’s not sure he’s actually reading what’s written down there or whether his eyes see something in the past or nothing at all.

So he keeps talking. “Your brother is doing good. He’s got an over-protective mate who’s a pain and will snarl at us a lot, should we ever meet them. Bal’s working in an office, though, so I think you could take him. And Gabe’s got some online shop thing going, where he’s selling sweets that he makes. That’s why it was pretty easy to track him down. Cause of the online thing.”

Cas is still staring blankly at the piece of paper.

“I’ve talked to him a few times now. I wanted to… you know, make sure he was okay. And make sure he wanted to talk to you. Not get your hopes up before… So I called him. And then he had questions and called back. And he’s sarcastic and funny and a little damaged, but he’s dealing. And he cares. About you. Fuck, he even cares about me. Don’t think you’d get him to admit that it but he does.”

Dean chuckles. He’s grown fond of Gabe over the past few days. Fonder than of Bal anyway, who’d snatched the phone one time for an interrogation that had Dean gritting his teeth and be glad that Alpha stink can’t reach through the phone.

“He’s got lots of questions that I can’t answer, though. About you. About your family. About town folk. I tried my best, but I couldn’t answer even half of that. You can, though. So, maybe you can call him. In fact, he’s waiting for the call. Cause I kinda told him I was planning to do this after the town hall meeting and gave him a rough time-line. Cas?”

Dean finally stops rambling and lays a hand on Cas’ knee because there is a scent of water that is saltier and more bitter than the lake and has its source in Cas.

“Cas, please? Please look at me. Tell me if I did wrong.” Even though Dean’s heart clenches at the prospect. Cause all he ever wants is to make Cas happy.

When Cas looks up, his eyes are bright with unshed tears and the paper in his hand trembles. “It’s really him?”

“Unless you know anyone else who calls you Cassie…”

A tiny smile appears on Cas’ face, like for the first time he’s found a piece of his brother that he knows and lets himself believe in. “I hate that nickname.”

Dean answers him with a smile of his own. “Do you want to call him?” he asks quietly.

It takes a moment, but then Cas whispers, “I think I’d like to hear his voice.“ He still sounds spooked and he doesn’t make a move, so Dean fishes his own phone out of his pocket. He’s got Gabe’s number saved anyway.

“I’ll call him for you, alright?” He waits patiently for the few moments it takes for Cas to nod. Because this one he’s not doing without permission.

The call goes through after only two rings. “Dean-o?” And is that a bit of nerves showing in Gabe’s voice?

“Hey Gabe.”

“How’d it go?” Yep, two opportunities, not a single joke, definitely nervous.

“Which part?”

“Well, did you get hitched?” Gabe asks impatiently.

Dean’s hand goes up to the fresh mark on his neck. It still stings but he wouldn’t want to give up that sting for anything. He can’t keep the smile off his face or the pride and adoration he feels for Cas out of his voice. “Yep, we got hitched. I’m sorry to break it to you, but you and I are family now.”

Gabe chuckles. “Well, I’d say it’ll be nice not being the only Omega at family gatherings, but hey, we don’t have family gatherings.”

“Don’t snark me, man. Cause I got your brother sitting right here.”

Silence. Then a very quiet, “Does he want to talk to me?”

“Yeah, he does. Told you he would. But he didn’t get early warning, so he’s a bit stunned. You might need to be the one doing the talking while he’s getting over that.”

Gabe chuckles though it sounds edgy. “Cassie’s always been on the socially awkward side. Doesn’t handle abrupt changes all that well.”

“Not sure that still holds true. He seems pretty effing effortlessly in charge to me. But hey, you figure it out for yourself. I’m handing you over.”

Dean holds out the phone to Cas who takes it apprehensively.

“Gotta hold it to your ear to hear him,” Dean grins. It earns him a glare, so he apologizes with a smile, gratified when Cas actually presses the phone to his ear.

“Gabriel?” Cas asks anxiously and it sounds about as un-Alpha as Dean’s ever heard him. “Is that really you?”

And maybe Dean has underestimated the depth of Cas’ apprehension because it’s almost worrying how intense he sounds.

But then Gabe answers and a small smile spreads over Cas’ face. It’s a tiny thing, disbelief still etched into it, but it makes his face soft and when Dean makes to get up and give them some privacy, Cas tugs at Dean until he not only sits back down but is sprawled on the ground again, head in Cas’ lap, Cas’ fingers running gently through his hair.

Dean tries not to listen in anyway, so he concentrates on the sound of his hair rustling under Cas’ hands, on the sounds of the wind and the water, on his own blood rushing through him. He still gets snippets of the conversation, though, because it’s hard to tune it out completely.

“So you’re happy? … I’m glad. … Yes, Dean makes me very happy. … No, I wouldn’t. I’m not Michael. You know that.” Cas’ hand tightens in Dean’s hair for a short moment before he relaxes again. “No, Gabe, it has nothing to do with that. Michael was an ass before he got the pack. … Jesus, Gabe, do you really think Dean would let me get away with that?”

There is a long pause after that and somewhere in the middle of it Cas takes his fingers out of Dean’s hair to grab Dean’s hand and hold it tight. When Dean looks up at him, the tears are back in Cas’ eyes but he bites down on it and keeps himself together. So Dean squeezes Cas’ fingers, urging him to hold on as tight as he needs to, while Dean lets his other hand run soothingly along Cas’ thigh.

“I’m sorry, Gabe,” Cas’ voice comes out broken. “I didn’t know. Please believe me. I didn’t know. I’d have searched for you earlier if I had known. I’d have found you and…”

Dean nudges Cas’ thigh to get his attention and shakes his head because he thinks he knows what they are talking about and Cas is going about this all wrong. But he’s too slow because the voice from the other end of the line already sounds angry.

Dean mouths, “Tell him that he’s strong. That you’re glad he’s made it and found a home and a mate.” Cas looks rattled when his eyes focus on Dean, but Dean urges him on. “Just do it.”

Cas nods and directs his attention back to the phone call. There is a long rant from the other side and Cas doesn’t attempt to interrupt it. Only when the line goes silent, does he say, “No, Gabe, that’s not at all what I was trying to say. I’d have wanted to be there for you. Because you’re my brother. Because I love you. You didn’t need my saving. You’re strong on your own. And you’ve obviously got things worked out. You’ve got a mate and a home and you sound happy. So I’m happy for you. I’d just – if you’d want that, I’d like to be a part of your life again.”

Dean smiles broadly and warmth fills his chest. Because that’s his Alpha. Getting over his stupid instincts that tell him everyone else needs his saving. Saying out loud that he thinks an Omega can be strong on his own. And even though Dean prompted him, it didn’t sound coached. It sounded like Cas meant it.

“You could come visit us some day? In the near future maybe? With your mate of course. You’re both very welcome here. … Okay. I can make sure that she’s not here. She isn’t visiting that often. We don’t really see eye to eye. … Okay. You talk it over with him. And I’ll talk to you soon. … I will. … Bye.”

Cas hangs up and hands the phone back to Dean silently.

“You okay?” Dean asks him cautiously because Cas’ eyes are still red and he’s paler than he was but his scent is so mixed up that it’s inconclusive.

“How did you know?”

Dean raises his eyebrows. “How did I know what?”

“What happened to him. What he had to do.”

Out of everything, that’s what Cas is zeroing in on? Dean sighs. It seems protective Alpha instincts aren’t that easy to shake after all. “I asked, Cas. Cause yeah, that’s a thing we ask each other about.”

“That’s horrible.” Cas’ voice is still wrecked so Dean assumes it’s not the asking itself that Cas thinks horrible.

“It’s necessary,” Dean insists. “Ain’t usually anybody else around who cares. Unless we’re lucky enough to have an Alpha fall in love with us. So we gotta take care of each other.”

There’s a moment of silence as Cas processes the information. His voice is hesitant when he asks, “Have you ever…? Like Gabe?”

Dean frowns. But Cas is mate, mate gets to ask invasive questions. “For money? No. Not on purpose. Had an Alpha or two throw money at me after, when their higher brain functions returned. Took the money, too. Money buys food wherever it comes from.”

Cas is blessedly silent. Maybe he has actually heard what Dean was trying to tell him about Gabe being strong. Because the same applies to Dean. Or maybe Cas just doesn’t know what to say. He’s bound himself to Dean now, it ain’t like he can easily run if he doesn’t like what he hears.

“It’s a long time ago, Cas. I ain’t broken. Neither is Gabe.” It’s the best Dean can do. Because he adores Cas and he’d jump off a cliff for him but he can’t apologize for who he is. And he doesn’t want to, either.

“Still isn’t right,” Cas mutters.

Dean won’t disagree with that, but, “You don’t need to fix us. Not beyond what you’re doing anyway. Because you are fixing a lot of stuff. You know that, right?” And because Cas looks unconvinced, Dean adds, “I trust you, Cas. And I don’t think you have the slightest idea how fucking weird that still is for me. Haven’t trusted an Alpha apart from Sam in my life.”

Cas draws his arms closer around Dean then and Dean hugs him back just as tightly.

“I love you,” is all Cas finally whispers in his ear.

It makes Dean smile because it means more than any other promise Cas could make at this moment. “I love you, too, Cas.”

 

Predictably, they come late to their own party. They try to sneak in but it takes only seconds before Charlie hollers, “They’re here! And they have mating bites!”

Dean groans but Cas holds his hand tightly, so it’s okay even when everyone starts talking to them all at once and they get champagne glasses shoved at them. They’re all respectful enough, anyway. Cas’ guests are bit louder and freer in their conversation than the few guests Dean has invited. Mainly, it’s Bobby and Garth from the garage. Most of the other people he likes, like Ellen and Charlie, are here anyway. Sam was allowed to invite who he wanted, too, but he just shrugged and said he was not the one getting married.

After the first wave of the attack of the party guests is over, Dean goes looking for Sam and finds him perched on the kitchen counter, talking to Jo, Ellen Harvelle’s daughter.

“What’s up?” he asks and grabs a beer from the fridge because he can’t stomach more champagne.

“Could ask you the same question,” Sam frowns. “You’re the one who went missing for hours.”

Dean notices with some satisfaction that Sam’s got a coke bottle in his hand, and it doesn’t sound like he’s touched any of the alcohol. Chances are, authorities aren’t going to take him away anymore even if he fucks up, seeing that Cas pretty much is the authority in town, but still.

“Didn’t go missing, just took the long route home.”

Jo snickers but when Dean raises his eyebrows at her she holds her hands out placatingly, “Hey, probably was a good idea. Whole town’s been pretty much been gossiping nonstop about how you two can’t keep your paws off each other.”

Dean’s eyebrows rise even higher because that is news to him. Are they really that bad?

“And you’re not even living with them,” Sam groans and sounds every bit the teenager he is. “Though it’s not even the touching. It’s the long stares and the sickening sweetness of their scents. It invades everything.” He shivers.

Okay, maybe they really are that bad. “Well, your new room should be reasonably far away from ours,” Dean shrugs and remembers, oh yeah, ‘ours’. He doesn’t have his own room anymore. He’s sharing the master bedroom with Cas.

 

\--

_1 week earlier…_

“I don’t even need that much space!” Sam turns in the room with wide eyes. “I don’t have that much stuff.”

Cas smiles. “Well, I’m sure we can change that. Hannah, do you mind accompanying Sam to storage to figure out what furniture he wants?”

Hannah’s eyes narrow, her demeanor clearly saying that she has better things to do than babysitting a half-grown Alpha, but she nods anyway. “Of course, Cas. Sam, if you’d follow me please.”

“Oh, yeah, sure. That’s so nice of you, Hannah!” Sam beams and to Dean’s surprise it draws a small smile from Hannah.

“Is that an Alpha thing?” Dean asks Cas as soon as the others are out of earshot. “The way he puts people at ease and makes them do stuff they don’t want to do and _like_ it?”

Cas chuckles. “No, I think that’s just a Sam thing.”

“Hmm,” Dean weighs his head, “not sure you’re right. Because it seems to me that you have the exact same effect. On me, anyway.” Dean isn’t even sure whether that still counts as flirting or whether it’s just stating the obvious.

“I’m not trying to make you do things you don’t want to do, though,” Cas replies with a frown.

Immediately, Dean appeases him by slipping closer to him. It’s amazing how even the smallest touches always seem to brighten Cas’ mood. “Not what I meant and you know it.”

“And still, it oddly applies.” Cas’ voice is even but for a slight tightness when he goes on. “Dean, to my best knowledge, you’re not scared around me anymore, but it’s a big step, moving in. So I was wondering – did you want your own room, too?”

“What?”

“We have several more rooms like this one, used as guest rooms right now, but easily converted into whatever they need to be. A study, a bedroom. I’d propose a room closer to the master bedroom for you, not because I’m assuming – but because of appearances. It will not be taken kindly if we’re sleeping too far apart.”

Dean shakes his head, confused. “What makes you think that I’d want to sleep apart from you?”

“Well,” Cas shrugs, “I don’t necessarily do. But you might. You’ve been feeling unsafe around me before. I’m merely offering the opportunity to stay cautious.”

Dean looks at him with wide eyes. “Dude, that was a lot of words for not saying much that makes sense.”

“Dean, I…” There’s something pleading in Cas’ tone now, like he’s willing him to understand.

And yeah, Dean thinks he does but at the same time he doesn’t. “Cas, do you want me next to you every night?”

Cas hesitates for a moment, but he nods.

“Then I want that, too,” Dean shrugs.

“But Dean!” Cas says desperately. “That’s just it! Don’t just say yes because I want it.”

“I’m not,” Dean insists. “I was merely asking to offer you the opportunity to continue your undisturbed bachelor’s night-rest.”

It’s delivered with an intentional smirk, but it takes a moment before Cas huffs a little laugh, tension not evaporated yet. “It’s hard to figure you out sometimes. You’re shy one minute and then quite mouthy the next.”

“But you like me that way,” Dean replies because if Cas wanted him meek, he’s going about their relationship all wrong.

Cas huffs again. “I _was_ being serious, though. Are you sure you don’t want your own room?”

“I’m sure,” Dean nods, voice serious again. “Want to be where you are. Even though you’re a clingy sleeper.”

They haven’t tried that out in a bed yet, but when Cas falls asleep on the couch, he tends to unabashedly hold on to Dean. Depending on how awake Dean is, it’s somewhere between really annoying and really cute. But even when it’s annoying, he has yet to find the willpower to actually try to free himself.

 

\--

_Now…_

“Yeah, he’s doing _that_ all the time, too,” Sam bitches.

Dean seems to remember darkly that Jo asked him something but he has no idea what. “Huh?”

“He’s daydreaming about our Alpha, isn’t he?” Jo leans closer to catch a whiff of his scent over the aromas of the party.

Dean waves her off impatiently. “Hey! Personal space!”

“Aw, don’t be like that,” Jo grins and tries to sidle up further into his space.

“I wouldn’t do this if I was you,” Dean says evenly and takes a swig of his beer. “And not just cause of Cas.”

Jo’s had too much champagne to heed the warning, Dean guesses, but Sam apparently gets it, so he puts a hand on her arm and draws her back. “Come on, Jo, let’s get you outside to cool off.”

“No,” Jo pouts. And when Sam just drags her along, she says to him. “Is he this cute when you’re not drunk? And still kind of a dick?”

Sam just groans and shrugs apologetically at Dean.

“What was that all about?” Charlie jumps up on the kitchen counter.

“No idea,” Dean shrugs and takes another swig.

“Can I see?” Charlie asks and motions to her collarbone to make clear what she means.

With Charlie, he’s got no hesitations so he drags down his collar and lets her lean in.

“Oh, he bit hard,” she brings her fingers up near his skin but doesn’t actually touch him.

Dean chuckles, “Yeah, well, I doubt his is any shallower.”

“Self-control gone after holding back for four weeks?” Charlie smirks.

“Just wait till you find your One,” Dean teases.

“Ehh,” Charlie shrugs. “You know how it is. Beta hormones, not quite so uuuwwwweeeedooooo as Alpha and Omega true love.” She makes an up and down motion that almost spills her drink to illustrate her point.

Dean raises his eyebrows. “You ain’t happy to be a sensible Beta?”

“Nah, it’s fine. It’s just – looking at the two of you, feels like I’m missing out on something.”

And that’s definitely not how Dean has ever thought about this. “You’d take being an Omega for that?”

“Dean, have you seen how you’re glowing? How Cas is glowing? I’ve known him a long time, and I mean, I know you know this but you haven’t seen it – he’s not been like this. Not ever. And that honey thing? I’m in awe of your powers.”

“What?” Dean is dumb-founded. “What do you mean?”

Charlie looks at him wide-eyed. “Don’t tell me you don’t know.”

Dean shakes his head.

“That honey scent? All yours. Never smelled it before.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Nope. He smells clean and earthy to the rest of us. Punch of ginger when he’s upset but that’s the most he’ll allow himself. Don’t think he has much willpower when it comes to you, though.” She laughs. “Pretty shocking, actually.”

Dean shakes his head. “Don’t mess with me.”

“I’m not messing with you. Dean, if you honestly think you hold no power over him, you’re so far mistaken that I don’t know whether you deserve that mating bite.”

Dean is quiet then because she says it with so much conviction that he believes her that she’s serious.

“You hold more sway than any of us in this pack, Dean. And yeah, it’s with him and through him, but the rest of us? We swore our loyalty just the same. And we don’t get the honey.”

That kind of boggles his mind. Because he really hasn’t seen it this way. But yeah, they talk about their days and Cas asks his opinion about current pack matters and even if the final decision is always with Cas, sometimes Dean has a different perspective than Cas and Cas takes it into account and adjusts his opinion. And yeah, he does that with Ellen or Hannah, too, but just by time of exposure he’s got some influence.

“Didn’t quite think about it that way, huh?” Charlie inquires.

Dean drinks another long swallow of his beer and shakes his head, “Sure didn’t.”

“You’ll get used to it,” Charlie pats his shoulder. “So, how’s Sam doing? He adjusting okay?”

Dean shrugs. “Good so far. We’ll see what happens when he has his first spat with Cas.” He can’t help the spark of worry flaring up.

“Cas won’t hurt him,” Charlie says matter-of-factly.

The image of his dad backhanding a ten-year-old Sam for whatever perceived transgression comes unbidden. Dean’s shoulders tense and he has to fight the urge to physically move when he remembers himself stepping between them. Can’t fight the growl, though. “He’ll have to go through me if he tries.”

“Whoa, Dean, calm down. I said he wouldn’t.”

“Sorry,” Dean mutters and shakes himself out of the memory. He puts his beer bottle back on the counter. He’s obviously had enough alcohol for the day.

“Though I gotta say, you stay surprising. Didn’t think you had a growl at Cas in you.”

That makes Dean chuckle drily. “Well, he isn’t here, is he? And it wasn’t directed at him in the first place.”

“Who was it directed at?” Charlie asks curiously.

“My asshole of a dad,” Dean mumbles. They haven’t talked about his past much. Or about Charlie’s for that matter. But she’s his best friend in this house, so he guesses it’s okay. “There’s a reason I snatched Sam as soon as I could and came here.”

“Yeah, thought there was,” Charlie nods. “I daresay you chose well.”

“I didn’t choose much. I knew we needed to get out of the city. City swallows you too easily. So I just drove until we got somewhere where people didn’t yell at us. Where they didn’t look at me like I was a piece of meat to be devoured. Happens that that was here.”

“And which part of that is supposed to prove that you didn’t choose us? Because it sounds to me like that’s exactly what you did,” Charlie persists.

And okay, maybe she’s right.

“Good thing you did, too.”

Dean jumps at the dark voice next to him. How much alcohol exactly did he have if Cas manages to sneak up on him?

He turns to smile at his mate, and can literally feel how the bad memories drain out of his mind and back to whatever hole they normally reside in. “Hey, Cas.”

When he sees the bright happiness in Cas’ eyes, his smile turns out both bashful and radiant and the butterflies in his stomach make an appearance.

“And I’m out of here,” Charlie hops off the counter, “though if I can give you my unsolicited opinion, you two should get out of here. You don’t want to be at this party. You want to be alone.”

Cas chuckles and wraps his arm around Dean’s waist before pressing a kiss to his neck. “She isn’t wrong.”

“You got plans for tonight, huh?” Dean says it into Cas’ ear so that the small hairs there move with his words.

“Wouldn’t call them plans, necessarily. I’m good with anything as long as it involves you and me and not the rest of the pack.”

“I see.” Dean lets his lips ghost over the mating bite on Cas’ neck. He’s not actually touching but the warm air of his breath over the mark makes Cas grab onto him harder anyway.

Dean shifts to align his hips with Cas’, the contact still more of a ghost than actual touching, but it is enough to make Cas’ breath hitch. And with how tight Cas’ self-control is, that’s about the equivalent of someone else groaning loudly.

“Seems she’s right about this, too,” Dean mutters to himself with a smile.

“What?” Cas’ voice is pitched higher than normal when Dean lets his mouth find skin to nibble at Cas’ earlobe.

Instead of answering, Dean allows his hands to slide down Cas’ upper body until they’re safely anchored at his hips, Dean’s thumbs stroking slow circles over both the soft flesh and the sharp bones. Cas’ hips stutter as if he wants to move forward, deeper into the touch, but he holds himself still.

So Dean ups the ante and lets his teeth graze over the soft flesh of Cas’ neck. This time, the hitch in Cas’ breathing is accompanied by a small whine.

“Dean…” There is a plea in Cas’ voice, though it’s unclear whether it’s a plea for more or for less. Maybe it’s a plea to stop before Cas’ control slips. Before he wants it too much to keep still.

But here’s the thing, Dean knows how Cas’ body feels now. He’s not scared anymore. Instead, he wants to accept the challenge in Charlie’s statement. If Dean’s the only one for whom Cas’ self-control slips, then he wants to make the control crumble completely so that Cas can stop thinking and be free. At least for a little while. And the control won’t crumble in a chase, Dean knows that already. Cas is too careful, too well aware that he might startle or frighten Dean. So if Cas can’t relax when he’s the one in charge, then Dean’s going to take the lead. Then he’s going to try out what he has to do to drive Cas out of his mind.

So Dean rolls their hips together, a smooth movement that has Cas’ hips jerking in response, arousal clear in each line of his body.

“You might not have plans, I do,” Dean whispers, voice low and guttural, while pressing a knee between Cas’ legs for a moment before drawing back enough to see Cas’ response on his face.

Cas’ eyes are wide and he’s breathing heavily already, searching Dean’s face, for clues where the sudden change in demeanor is coming from, Dean thinks.

“If you’re up for it, that is,” Dean adds. “And in the bedroom, not in the kitchen?” Because he’s reasonably sure there were at least three guests already that wanted to get new drinks but turned on their heels when they got to the door.

“Dean!”

He thinks that is amazement in Cas’ eyes and there’s definite want in Cas’ scent, so that is an unequivocal yes then. Dean leans in for a deep kiss before taking Cas’ hand and pulling him towards the bedroom. Towards _their_ bedroom.


End file.
